the river, but followed it. He
looked up. The trail of stars ended at the one star in the sky that, as
Owl Carver had pointed out to him, remained fixed when all the other
stars danced around it. And therefore it was called the Council Fire
Star.

The little lights twinkled all around him, like flocks of bright birds,
and his heart was full of happiness. It was all so beautiful, he wanted
to sing.

And he did sing, the only song he knew that seemed right for this
moment, the Song of Creation.

"Earthmaker, you fill the world with life.
You put life in earth and sky and water.
I do not know what you are, Earthmaker,
But you are in me and everything that lives.
Always you have dwelt in life,
Always you will dwell so."

He sang and danced and the White Bear rose up on its hind legs and
strode heavily along beside him.

The light from the Council Fire Star grew brighter and seemed to dispel
the blackness of the sky around it. The star grew until it was a sphere
of cold fire that filled the sky.

He heard a roaring sound and saw that from the bottom of the shining
globe water was pouring. The water gave off a light of its own. His eye
followed its plunge. He was far, far above the earth now. The Great
River was a shiny black ribbon, barely visible, winding over the earth.
Straight as a spear the water from the Council Fire Star was falling
down to the place where the Great River began its winding course.

He exulted. Already he had learned a secret no other Sauk knew, unless
it be Owl Carver himself--the true source of the Great River.

He saw a square, dark opening in the glowing surface of the star. The
path led to it. Still walking on its hind legs, the White Bear pressed
inexorably on toward that doorway, and Gray Cloud walked beside it.

The colors of the rainbow shimmered in the light from the star, and it
pulsed faintly like a beating heart. When he thought of what a mighty
spirit must dwell in this magnificent lodge--perhaps Earthmaker
himself--Gray Cloud's heart was once again full of fear.

He trembled and his steps slowed. He could not come face to face with
such a being. It would be like staring into the sun. His eyes would be
burned out of his head. He felt himself weakening.

The star-studded surface under his feet shook a little. He took a step
and it quivered under his footfall. The White Bear was ahead of him now,
leaving him out here alone among the stars, high above t